Asylum-seekers to be moved from house in Killiney

The Department of Justice will begin withdrawing about 100 asylum-seekers from a private house in Killiney, south Dublin, this morning.

The Department said it was removing the residents after its Reception and Integration Agency carried out an inspection of the accommodation, and after a subsequent report expressed concerns about fire and food safety.

The residents have lived at Kilmarnock House on Military Road for up to a year. They include a large number of children, about 20 of whom are under 18 months old.

They were told yesterday they would be moving to other hostel accommodation around Dublin city, but mainly to Balseskin, near Ballymun in north Dublin.

The residents, who are assisted to integrate by members of the local development group Southside Partnership, expressed reservations about the move, particularly in relation to childcare arrangements and commitments to voluntary work schemes and educational courses.

They were particularly concerned about the short notice of their proposed move - it was first suggested that they should leave the house yesterday - and talks between the residents and the Reception and Integration Agency continued beyond 6 p.m. last night.

According to a spokeswoman for the Department of Justice, an inspection was carried out on behalf of the agency on Thursday of last week, and a report delivered to the Department yesterday.

The spokeswoman described the concerns as serious, and said they related to health and safety issues in relation to fire and food.

The education officer with Southside Partnership, Ms Aileen O'Brien, told The Irish Times that reassurance had been given to the residents that efforts to rehouse them in Killiney would begin immediately.

Ms O'Brien said the announcement of the move had come as something of a shock to the residents, who had been integrating into the area very well.

While some had lived at Kilmarnock for up to a year, about 20 had arrived in recent months having been "aged out" of the children's hostel in the old school house in Dún Laoghaire.

Ms O'Brien added that the partnership had designated an official to act as a link between the Reception and Integration Agency and the residents to advise them on the progress of alterations and changes at the house.